1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector and to a connector testing apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, in a connector realizable by inserting a terminal fitting into a connector housing, for example, an engaging portion, or a so-called lance, is formed in the connector housing and the terminal fitting is engaged with this engaging portion to be lockingly retained in a cavity therefor formed in the connector housing. The connector may also be provided with a double locking mechanism which uses a retainer to detect incomplete insertion of the terminal fitting and to securely lock the terminal fitting in the cavity.
A connector shown in FIG. 17 is known as an example of a connector provided with a double locking mechanism. The prior art connector of FIG. 17 includes a retainer 2 mounted into a connector housing 1 formed with a plurality of unillustrated cavities for accommodating terminal fittings by being inserted into the connector housing 1 in a direction of the arrow in FIG. 17. Terminal fittings 3 are inserted into the cavities of the connector housing 1 while the retainer 2 is held in a partial mount position. The retainer 2 then is pressed further to a full mount position. In its full mount position, the retainer 2 is engaged with the terminal fittings 3, thereby locking them in the connector housing 1.
With the above prior art connector, the retainer is likely to get separated. Further, if the terminal fittings 3 are incompletely inserted, the retainer 2 comes into contact with the terminal fittings 3 and cannot be inserted to its full mount position, with the result that a bottom part of the retainer 2 remains uninserted into the connector housing 1. In this case, an operator will feel from his experience that the retainer 2 is improperly mounted into the connector housing 1, and improper mounting of the retainer 2 is also visibly detectable. Incomplete insertion of the retainer 2 can be noticed in this way. The retainer 2 is designed to let the operator detect incomplete insertion, but neither to avoid incomplete insertion nor to actively urge insertion of the terminal fittings 3 to their proper mount positions.
Accordingly, with prior art connectors, there were cases where the improperly assembled connectors are brought to a next process when the operator became inattentive and overlooked improper mounting of the retainer.
Another problem is as follows. In order to efficiently assemble the connectors of the above construction, it is a common practice to transport a plethora of connector housings 1 to a working section where the terminal fittings 3 are inserted into the connector housings 1 after partially mounting the retainers 1 on the connector housings 1, so that the terminal inserting operation can be finished at one standing. However, with the above connectors, the retainers 2 partially mounted on the connector housings 1 are likely to be fully mounted due to vibrations produced during transportation. Since the terminal fittings 3 cannot be inserted if the retainers 2 are brought to their full mount positions before inserting the terminal fittings 3, it is necessary to move the retainers 2 to their partial mount positions. This operation is very cumbersome, reducing working efficiency. In order to prevent the retainers 2 from being brought to their full mount positions during transportation, a container for containing the connector housings 1 with the retainers 2 partially mounted thereon during transportation needs to have a special structure, which leads to an increased production cost.
Another problem is that a suitable testing apparatus for testing not only the electrical performance but also the correct positioning of the terminal fittings does not exist.
The object of the invention is to overcome the above problems.